Meb Keflezighi Leaving Mammoth Track Club

The elite runner said he plans to move to San Diego, California to be closer to his family.

Meb Keflezighi, who with Deena Kastor was an original member of the Mammoth Track Club, is planning to move to San Diego “sooner rather than later,” he said during an New York City Marathon press event on Friday.

“Now in 2012, the Olympics are over and I’m making the decision to move to San Diego,” he said. “I want to get into the running industry on a different level. It’s heartbreaking because I owe a lot to the town of Mammoth Lakes – they’ve been very hospitable.”

Keflezighi, who won the New York City Marathon in 2009, said he remains committed to running it again in 2013. He will also compete in a spring marathon, but has not announced which one yet.

“I have three marathons left in my potential career,” he said.

Keflezighi is one of 11 children of parents Russom and Awetash Keflezighi, who immigrated to San Diego in 1987 (after living briefly in Italy) from war-torn Eritrea. His parents and many of his siblings still live in San Diego.

“I’ve sacrificed a lot of time with them over the years,” he said.

As for the timing of the move, Keflezighi says it’s dependent on his three daughters finishing school in Mammoth Lakes. He is already making plans for what he will do when he gets there.

“I will get involved with the running industry, whether it’s coaching, or starting a running group, I’ll have an idea,” he said. “I will use my resources to get people moving forward and running and active.”

Keflezighi said he also wants to devote more time to the Meb Foundation, which supports organizations focused on health, education, and fitness.

“I want to wish Deena and Andrew best wishes in their endeavors, but for me, stay tuned for further notification of how I will get involved in the running industry,” he said.

While Keflezighi spoke, Deena Kastor stood a couple of tables away and explained some of the other changes coming to the Mammoth Track Club.

Kastor's husband, Andrew, will coach new athletes who join the club. "By January 1st, we hope to have about a 12-person new roster of young athletes focused on the 2016 Olympians, in addition to our current roster," Deena Kastor said. The range of athletes will be similar to the club's composition, with a mix of track and road runners focused on distances of 5000 meters and longer. Kastor said her role would be as mentor rather than coach to the new team members.

Kastor likened the coming transition to the one the club experienced in 2004. "Similar to when coach [Joe] Vigil handed the reins to Terrence, there will be continuity in training philosophies," Kastor said.